Launched in 2013, China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) is the only fair fully dedicated to books and specific contents for children aged from 0 to 16 in Asia Pacific.
In 2020, CCBF was held as scheduled, making it one of the very few international book fairs to take place physically since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It brought together 386 exhibitors including 99 overseas exhibitors from 21 countries and territories. In three days, the total number of visitors reached 18,963, among which 8,305 were professionals from 17 nationalities, representing publishing, educational and other children’s entertainment-related industries. Simultaneously, online matchmaking meetings and online broadcasting events gathered about 520,000 views.
2021 CCBF will take place on 19–21 November at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre (SWEECC). The fair will cover 25,000 square metres, and we expect more than 450 domestic and international exhibitors to meet with more than 30,000 professional visitors and readers. We can't wait to meet you in Shanghai in this autumn.
- CCBF Keeps Your International Business Within Striking Distance
The CCBF International Book Showcase is an exhibition scheme allowing overseas publishers to show their new titles at the fair even when they are not able to attend in person. With the help of local staff recruited specially to collect visitors’ information and enquiries, the Book Showcase is a space where international printed books are on display for Chinese editors and copyright professionals in search for new contents. Advanced technology also endows CCBF exhibitors with innovative services thanks to its Online Matchmaking System equipped with its own video conference server.
- The Digital Hub: Looking Towards the Future
An increasing number of digital initiatives are transforming the global publishing industry, allowing multimedia technologies to bring new and rich reading experiences to young readers. Following the trend, CCBF is committed to exploring the digital development of children's content.
In 2021, CCBF will continue to expand the scale of the Digital Hub, a space designed for all those interested in the integration of technologies into children’s content, including publishers, content creators; digital, multimedia and tech companies; software, game, animation and film producers; education and training institutions. The Digital Hub aims to catalyse the transformation, making the "one content, multiple media composite publishing" strategy the new horizon of the children's book industry.
- The Illustrators Community, Driving Force of the Children's Book Market
CCBF strives to become a linchpin for the illustrator community, serving as an incubator for new talents and a platform for the promotion of Chinese new illustration. Throughout the years, CCBF has contributed to propel many artists towards the publishing industry and discovered quality artworks.
Following the Bologna Children's Book Fair's curatorial path, CCBF has a comprehensive programme for visual artists, which exhibitions, competitions, masterclasses, workshops, portfolio reviews. It is an exceptional annual event that visual and content creators cannot miss.
In 2021, the CCBF illustrators community will keep on gathering around three main sections tailor-made for them: the Young Illustrators Avenue, the Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition, and the Illustrators Survival Corner.
- Children Plus—Books & Seeds
In 2021, CCBF is going green, as “Books & Seeds” will be the theme of the next Children Plus event stream. Children Plus—Books & Seeds will embark us on the journey of a seed from the moment it is planted to the time it reaches our plate, transformed into delicious dishes.
The core of Children Plus—Books & Seeds will be a special book exhibition featuring innovating titles that relates what Nature brings us, invisibly yet faithfully. Seasonal culture, cereals, gardens, and cooking will be some of the key concepts starring in the exhibition, which will boast over a hundred titles from around the world. Following the increasing interest of children’s publishers in environment and food-related questions, the Books & Seeds project intends to help children understand their relation to Nature, and plant seeds of knowledge and awareness for a way of life respectful of the planet and its diversity.
In addition to the book exhibition, Children Plus—Books & Seeds will encompass seminars, discussions and workshops echoing the theme.
Initiated at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in 2015, Books & Seeds was also part of Expo 2015, the Milan World Exposition placed under the moto “Feeding the Planet”. CCBF is working in partnership with BCBF and a team of professional curators to offer a renovated look on this vital topic.
From the beans ground in a morning coffee to the pasta one eats to recover from physical exercise, seeds provide the energy our body needs to develop, just like books feed our minds with thoughts and imagination. Let’s open our appetite for a feast of lush and flavourful books!
- Enter one of the most dynamic book markets in the world
The children’s book market occupies the largest share in China's book retail market, reaching 28.31% in 2020. In spite of a light 5% decrease in the overall booksales in 2020, the children’s publication segment resisted the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued its two-decade long progression with a yearly growth of 1.96%. With 20,000 new titles published every year, China is going strong on non-fiction books for children, toddlers’ book and game book
- Get to the heart of the Asia Pacific children's rights market
CCBF is the only book fair in China and Asia Pacific fully dedicated to children’s content, which makes Shanghai an unparalleled destination for the children’s rights market. CCBF helps you to connect with the professionals from Asia Pacific—the most exciting, booming and dynamic market for Children’s content.
- Benefit from an innovative economic environment favourable for bi-directional exchange
China is at the centre of global attention for its economic vitality and capacity to adapt to an increasingly unstable world. The adhesion to the "go global, bring in" policy encourages an original production of high quality at the same time that it strives to attract a wider range of publications and derivative products that cater to domestic and foreign visitors' needs.
- Discover new talents in China and Asia Pacific
CCBF brings together both accomplished and emerging talents in China via dynamic programmes. It will be an exceptional opportunity to discover world-class authors, illustrators, translators, editors and other content creators for potential collaborations.
- Enjoy one-stop solutions and tailored services
CCBF puts you and your business at centre stage with a variety of services and tools. The fair connects international publishers with Chinese distributors, printers, packagers and book buyers. CCBF encourages an end-to-end business solution for international trade. Join CCBF to explore many ways of doing business, selling rights, co-publishing, finding suppliers, and much more!
- Open new business horizons for children's contents, empower the children's book publishing industry
CCBF is expanding its scope of action towards other industries that can provide children's publishers with new business opportunities. Keeping books at the centre of its activity, CCBF helps you connect with a wide range of products and services, including digital and multimedia products, licensing, educational and training material for children and teachers, parenting, film and television, animation, children's lifestyle etc.
- Learn about the latest industry hotspots and trends
CCBF offers a wide range of programmes that covers the whole book chain. Through a three-day conference, a publishers’ fellowship programme, competitions and prizes, exhibitions and reading promotion events, CCBF participants will be able to gain up-to-date knowledge about the latest market trends, hear about new business practices, or discover emerging talents.
- Explore the vibrant culture of Shanghai
During the fair, a selection of popular bookstores, libraries, early childhood institutions and schools in Shanghai take the CCBF annual book feast beyond the boundaries of the fair ground. A wide array of cultural activities will be held all over Shanghai to showcase the city as a great attraction for children's books enthusiasts.
CCBF 2020 brought together 386 leading publishers and children's content players from 21 countries and territories, 99 international companies were exhibiting at CCBF, and also comprised stands and booths by 287 Chinese publishing key players. There were 308 online and offline professional programmes and readers' events held concurrently with the exhibition at more than 100 locations around town, including schools, bookstores, libraries, art museums, etc. CCBF has brought a total of 18,963 visitors to its fairgrounds, including 8,305 professional visitors from 17 countries and territories, while online events streamed on local platforms gathered a total of 520,000 views all across the country.
Book your stand now and benefit from the early bird discount until 18 May. Contact us directly to discover our additional exclusive offer for overseas exhibitors.
CCBF offers a range of flexible solutions to make the best of your participation in all circumstances, including its exclusive lounges and featured areas—Literary Agents Centre, Digital Hub, Young Illustrators Avenue, Bologna Best Children’s Publishers (BOP) Lounge, Strega Prize Lounge, New Entry Lounge, and its remote participation package through the “International Book Showcase”—where recognised international companies bring their cutting-edge contents to China.
Get ready to meet the children's book and content community from Asia and across the world!
For further questions or get more details on all exhibiting available possibilities, please feel free to get in touch with:
BolognaFiere S.p.A.
Mariaelena Schiavo, Sales Office Manager
T: +39-051282298 | E: mariaelena.schiavo@bolognafiere.it; ccbf@bolognafiere.it
